Omaha daily bee., 1887-12-17
Charles Bellows Expiates His Crime
at Charles City.
SUPPORTED TO THE GALLONS.
The Miserable Wretch's Bravado For-
sakcs Him at the Last Moment
and He Dies Vainly Plead.
ing For Mercy.
An Iowa Hanging.

time in twenty-five years, was to be pre-
scntcd the repellant spectacle OF man
hanged, not for vengeance, but according to
ordered law. There was no thought of re-
prieve or communication. no words of sympa-
thy or pity, but sentiment universal that
Bellows must hang. All preparations for the
hanging were completed this morning, and
there was nothing to do but to await the
hour. In the early morning people from the
surrounding country began to pour into town.
At o'clock around the Jail all was excite
mcnt. A multitude had gathered thinking
they would be afforded an opportunity to wit
ness the execution, but they were not grati-
fed A few reporters, the shcriffs of the
different counties of the state and those au-
thorzed by law were the only witnesses
present inside the inclosurc. AT Q O'Clock six
chosen men from company +, |. N. CT, went
on duty, keeping march around the yard in
which the gallows was erected.
Up to o'clock last night Bellows mani
Tested the same defiant disposition as at Ana
mosa, when he said to the warden
''See that am hung early so that l will
reach hell in time for breakfast"
Shortly after 0 o'clock last night the sheriff
entered his cell with Il letter from his sister,
Mrs. Waterman. The letter was handed to
Bellows and Sheriff Clark took occasion to ad-
monish him to prepare for eternity rs he was
to be surely hanged in the morning Bellows
looked up iEto his face and said:
~ will laugh at you on the gallOws."
The sheriff then left the cell. Soon he
heard moans from Bellows who was weeping
bitterly over the last written words of his de-
voted sister. He spent an hour alternately
weeping over the letter and swearing at the
Jail officials. Shortly after 10 O'Clock he sud
denly seized a large arm chair and attempted
to strike down one OF the death watches as
he was bent over fixing the fire. He was
seized by one OF the ether watches, however,
and compelled to go TO his cell cot and lie
down. He went to sleep at once and did not
waken until a. m.,whcn he arose and again
went to the guards and demanded
no satisfaction and he again went to his cot
and slept for over an hour He awoke for
the last time shortly aftcr7 He refused to
accept of any eatables whatever. He was
apparently in great agony of mind but made
no reference to his crime.
At 1890 the Jail inclosure was thrown open
and the forty-six holders of tickets passed
in terrible sound greeted their ears. 1t
was made by Bellows in his cell swearing
and cursing at the officers as they were put
ting the shackcs on him He succeeded in
inficting an ugly wound by biting one Of the
guards hands. He was forced to the wall
and was firmly bound.
At seventeen minutes of II o'clock Sheriff
Clark stepped on the platform of the scaffold
and in firm, clear voice called the names of
the twelve iurymcn who had convicted Bel
lows. Each responded to his name. The
death warrant was then read to Bellows in
his cell. AT fifteen minutes of II the death
march commenced. The window from the
criminals cell had been taken out and stair
way leading up to the gallows erected. Up
they. wendcd, the sheriff leading followed
his stocking feet, partly carried
by two strong men. He took n
position over the trap and stared at the audi
cnce for moment, his face wearing a sad,
detected look. His legs We're pnioncd, but
not a word escaped his lips until Sheriff Clark
adjusted the moose, when he broke down, cry
ing "Plcase don't, please don't, please don't,
please don't.n The moose was then tightened,
when in almost inaudible words he said:
81 am innUcent.n
His supporters stepped on either side of
him. Sheriff Clark moved TO the rear and at
four minutes to II, with that terrible lie fresh
on his lips, the trap was sprung and Bellows
swung into eternity.
Bellows. did not struggle, except slight
Struggling of the shoulders and convulsive
motion OF his feet. His pulse was up to lac.
three minutes and forty seconds after the
drop fell ana then became less frequent until
eight minutes and forty-threc seconds, when
life was pronounced extinct. The body re-
maincd hanging for twenty minutes. when it
was cut down and placed in Il coffin ut the
foot of the gallows. An examination proved
No relatives witnessed the execution and
none would accept of the remains They
were buried at the expense of the county.
SYNOPSIS OF THE CRIME.
The crimc was one of the most brutal and
cold-bloodcd ever recorded in the annals of
Iowa. 1t was committed on the farm of
Chester Wilcox, in'F'icyd county, Iowa, on
the Sth day of July, 1856, the victim beng
his niece, Alice Waterman, IA beautiful girl
Of sixteen. Bellows was born in the city of
New York and early in youth was deprived
OF a fathers care and was brought up with
passions unchecked and temper unbridled, n
vile and hardened wretch, whose every
thought was licentioJs and whose aims were
solely the qualifications of the lusts of his
hardened heart. For a time before he
reached his majority he drove street car in
Minneapolis and thorc went from bad TO
worse With such traits of character as
these he came into the happy and highly re
spectcd Waterman family, and proved the
serpent in their Eden. With no
respect for self or kindred he
Of their daughter, his niece, q highly Guilt
waited and much respected young lady. Fail
ing in this dastardly attempt aud being for
hidden longer the privileges of n home he
was laying the foundation to destroy, without
the slightest provocation except that engen-
dered by debased mind and an utterly har-
dcned and corrupt heart, he murdered the
poor girl, wantonly and cruelty. He had
learned his lessons of unbridled passionson
the streets and in the slums of great cities
and the end is but legitimate result of that
education.
BEE reporter after n ride of four mites
southwest OF Charles city, arrived at the
beautiful Waterman residence and here
learned from. Mrs. Waterman, the details OF
the tragic affair
Bellows was engaged by his brother-in- law
Mr Watermanas helper on the farm. Mrs.
Waterman did not like the at,eniion he was
paying her daughter and she asked him to 90
away and find another place to work lie
seemed to take il all in good part at first until
his mother moved into the neighborhood aud
then he tried to get Alice TO leave home
Shortly after this he had some words wit.
Mr., Waterman, and he went TO the house and
while eIraged SAID TO Alice that he would
outrage hef before the year ended. A few
days passed when one evening he entered her
room by means OF ladder on the outside
and undertook to chlorofoim her, but was
discovered and went away, Hoping TO quiet
Bellows, and thinking that all trouble might
be avoided, Alice left her mothers home by
consent OF her parents and hired out as a
servant in the family of Mrs. Wilcox. But
not so. Early on the morning of the Sth of
July, Bellows came around to the rear of the
house and called for Alice, who was working
in the kitchen, TO come out, rs he wanted 10
see her, The girl was frightened ami hest
tated TO go, but finally went, The door had
hardly closed behind her when Mrs. Wilcox
h.a. H., .lxv.N,s